1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a watertight connector to be mounted on a panel and to a method of assembling it.
2. Description of the Related Art
U.S. Pat. No. 6,183,275 discloses a connector for mounting on a door panel of an automotive vehicle. The connector includes a waiting-side housing 1 that is fitted through a mount opening 2A formed in a panel 2, as shown in FIG. 7. The connector also includes a watertight housing 3 and a waterproof grommet 4 is mounted on the watertight housing 3. A seal 4A is provided at the front end of the opening edge of the grommet 4.
A grommet cover 5 is mounted on the watertight housing 3 and a lever 6 is supported rotatably on the grommet cover 5. The lever 6 is formed with a cam groove 6A and the waiting-side connector housing 1 is formed with a cam follower 1A that is engageable in the cam groove 6A. As a result, rotation of the lever 6 generates a cam action between the cam groove 6A and the cam follower 1A, and the watertight housing 3 is pulled into the waiting-side housing 1 together with the grommet 4 and the grommet cover 5. Further, upon completion of the rotation of the lever 6, the seal 4A of the grommet 4 is compressed in a connecting directions between a back surface 1B of the waiting-side housing 1 and the front end of the grommet cover 5, thereby providing sealing between the waiting-side and watertight housings 1, 3.
Secure sealing between the housings 1, 3 requires the seal 4A of the grommet 4 to be constantly compressed in the engaging directions by pushing the watertight housing 3 into the waiting-side housing 1. However, the lever 6 may shake relative to a shaft 7 and a bearing 6B that support the lever 6. Such shaking may be due to an engagement tolerance during molding or weakened rigidity due to repeated rotation of the lever 6. Consequently, the watertight housing 3 covered by the grommet 4 and the grommet cover 5 may shift when the housings 1, 3 are connected due to resilient forces of the seal 4A in the separating direction from the lever 6 and the waiting-side housing 1, which are locked into each other by the cam follower 1A and the cam groove 6A. As a result, the seal 4A cannot be pushed sufficiently against the back surface 1B of the waiting-side connector housing 1, and insufficient sealing may result.
The invention was developed in view of the above problem and an object thereof is to provide secure sealing between first and second housings, even if the watertight connector housing has a play in connecting direction.
The invention is directed to a connector with a first housing that is mountable onto a panel and a second housing that is engageable with the first housing. The second housing has a grommet for substantially covering the second housing, and the grommet has at least one seal that can be compressed in directions substantially normal to a connecting direction of the housings to provide sealing between the housings. Thus, the housings are prevented from relative shifting in the separating direction in response to a resilient force of the seal. Even if the housings shift relative to each other in the separating direction, the seal only moves in the separating direction while being kept in a compressed state. Therefore, the seal can constantly display its sealing function.
The seal preferably is arranged at least partly between the first housing and the second housing, and thus is compressed in directions substantially normal to the connecting direction.
Preferably, a movable member is provided on one of the first and second housings for displaying a cam action to connect or assist the connection of the first and second housings with each other. The movable member preferably comprises a lever formed with at least one cam groove. The lever is on one of the housings and the other of the housings has at least one cam follower engageable with the cam groove. The cam follower is displaced along the cam groove as the lever is rotated, thereby connecting and separating the second housing with and from the first housing.
The first housing may be a waiting-side housing that is mountable on a panel and the second housing may be a watertight housing that is engageable with the waiting-side housing.
The seal preferably is at a position to be squeezed between opposed surfaces of the housings in directions substantially normal to the connecting direction of the housings.
The seal is compressed in directions substantially normal to the connecting direction between engaging circumferential surfaces of the waiting-side and watertight housings to provide sealing between the housings. Therefore, the construction can be simplified.
Part of the seal preferably is a projecting wall and/or a groove formed circumferentially on or in a surface of the grommet substantially opposed to a surface of the waiting-side housing substantially along the connecting direction of the housings. Additionally, an engaging portion is formed circumferentially in or on the surface of the waiting-side housing substantially opposed to the surface of the grommet with the groove and/or a projecting wall. The seal can be compressed against the circumferential surface of the engaging portion in directions substantially normal to the connecting direction of the housings.
The seal of the grommet engages the engaging portion of the watertight connector housing as the housings are connected, and the seal is compressed against the circumferential surface of the mating engaging portion in directions normal to the connecting direction of the housings to provide sealing between the housings. Opposite side surfaces of the compressed sealing portion are in close contact with the engaging portion. Thus, more secure sealing can be provided between the housings.
The invention also relates to a method of assembling a watertight connector that has a first housing mountable onto a panel and a second housing engageable with the first housing. The method comprises providing the second housing with a grommet for substantially covering the second housing, and connecting the first and second housings to compress at least one seal of the grommet in directions substantially normal to a connecting direction of the housings to providing sealing between the housings.
The step of compressing the seal preferably comprises arranging the seal at least partly radially between the first and second housings, thereby compressing the seal substantially normal to the connecting direction.
The housings preferably are connected at least partly with each other by operating a movable member on one of the first and second housings, thereby displaying a cam action to connect or assist the connection of the first and second housings with each other.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent upon reading of the following detailed description of preferred embodiments and accompanying drawings. It should be understood that even though embodiments are described separately, single features thereof may be combined to additional embodiments.